Okay, I have an important update on karaoke at Kumori Con! Since it's important, I wanted to create a new topic to avoid confusion over which post contains the official information. I will lock the outdated thread after posting this.
First,
News... specifically, good news!
The karaoke machine has been purchased. It is not a Japanese machine as planned, but it is in fact even better than having a Japanese machine! The machine is high-tech equipment, which is capable of taking whatever CD you bring and greatly softening the lyrics!
Needless to say, I am very excited about this, and I am changing karaoke plans to take advantage of this newly-acquired equipment.
All three karaoke events will take advantage of the karaoke machine.
Open Mic- Event Time: Saturday after the Karaoke contest, no earlier than 10pm. It will continue until we run out of singers, or until our hosts collapse.
- Signup: You can sign up as soon as the Karaoke Contest ends! From that point on it will be handled as a waiting list: first come, first serve.
Information:Open Mic is for people who want to perform in front of a
full audience, but don't want the pressure of competition. It is also for people who are unable to enter the actual contest, for whatever reason. It will be held in a big room, and we invite anyone to come, whether to participate or to watch!
The emphasis is on fun, and there are no limits on song content; you can sing whatever you like, anime-related or not! (as long as it's appropriate for general convention audiences, of course) We still recommend that your songs be no longer than 5 minutes, but the rule will not be strictly enforced.
Open Mic participants will get full access to the karaoke machine. You can either bring your own music, or choose a song from the machine before your turn arrives. Remember that the machine has a lyric-softening feature!
Karaoke Room- Event Time: Sunday evening, TBA. It will be run for several hours, opposite of the dance, and possibly other times as well. We will attempt to keep it open as long and as often as we can.
- Signup: There will be a waiting list if it gets crowded, but otherwise, come whenever you like!
Information:The Karaoke Room is for people who want to sing, but don't want to do it in front of a large crowd. It will be held in a smaller room than the contest and Open Mic, but with the same karaoke machine. Con-goers are encouraged to bring their friends and goof around in a comfortable atmosphere, just like authentic Japanese karaoke!
Again, you can bring whatever music you like, or choose from the machine's selection. Use of the room will be regulated rather casually. The waiting list will only be used if it is in extremely high demand.
Please take advantage of the karaoke room with your friends if you need a break from the dance! You can come and go from both events at your leisure!
Karaoke Contest- Event Time: Saturday, 8:00-10:00pm (setup starts at 7pm)
Check this thread periodically in case of update.
- Signup: Signup for the Audition/Rehearsal will be available when the con officially opens. It will either be at the front desk, or the front desk will be able to direct you to the signup.
- Audition/Rehearsal Time: Saturday, 12 noon to 2pm (note: mandatory)
Rules and Information:
- First of all, don't worry too much about getting in. The reason the preparation session is listed as Audition/Rehearsal is because it is mostly intended to inform entrants of the rules and to make sure everyone is sufficiently prepared for the performance. We will only use auditions for qualification if your song does not fit the rules, or if we exceed our maximum number of entrants. (The cap will probably be 20 people)
- Your song must fit ONE of the following descriptions:
The song is...
- sung in Japanese,
OR - a song by a Japanese artist (meaning, released in Japan),
OR - a song from a Japanese game or anime,
OR - an Anime Filk. (see below)
- Anime Filk will have its own separate category, and it's own prize (this means that anime filk entries will only be competing with other anime filk entries). Anime Filk is defined as being either of the following:
- A parody of a song from a Japanese game or anime
OR- A parody that has lyrics pertaining to a game or anime (any song can be used for source material).
- We recommend that each participant bring their song on CD, preferably a burned copy which contains the song they are going to sing as the first track. If it isn't the first track, the performer must label the CD with a note specifying the track number AND their own name.
Plan on standard CD audio format. If other formats are allowed, they will be announced soon. PM me if you have concerns.
- The maximum time limit for songs will be 5 minutes each, no exceptions. After that, the song will be faded out. Besides the time limit, the reason behind this is that performers and audience alike usually do not enjoy songs that last that long. If yours pushes the time limit, we highly recommend you seek out a shortened version or get someone to help you edit your song.
- GROUP RULES: Group performances are allowed and encouraged! The rule of thumb is this: any number of people may perform in a group, but each performer may go onstage for one song only. This prevents individuals from entering twice in two separate groups. Any group that wins an award must share the prize(s) for the award, but there will be a special "Best Group Performance" category, among others.
- Improvised performances are allowed in the contest, but discouraged. Singers who come prepared will get first priority, because we hate to turn away anybody who has spent a great deal of time on their song. If you want to improvise, we encourage you to take advantage of Open Mic and the Karaoke Room.
- No surprise stunts. If you want to use some sort of physical trick as a gimmick for your performance, you must clear it at the audition. This includes but is not limited to fake blood, backflips, and pounding microphones. All of the above have been used in the past by responsible performers who were nice enough to tell the judges and technicians beforehand, and proper arrangements were made.
That's all! Keep an eye on the thread title for future updates to the rules. And do come join us for one of the events. Karaoke is always a dynamic event, whether done as serious competition, lively fun in front of big crowds, or late at night with your sleep-deprived friends.
Once again, PM me with further questions! Or you may post in this topic if there is something not covered by the rules that you believe others will need to hear.
